Why do people pre-order stuff?

[Jaan]

I've been wondering this for a while and I can't figure out the advantages to pre-ordering DVD's, video games, video game systems etc. I recently had a friend pre-order "Sin City" at the expensive place at the mall, and all he had to do was walk into Best Buy the day it came out and there were 3000 copies right there. These days with modern manufacturing techniques and distribution channels, hardly anything sells out, and even the few rare times it does there's a new batch in a week.

So am I missing something?

[magman007]

game systems i understand, since they always freekin fly away, and leave people waiting months to play em, but everything else, makes no sense

[xmetal2001]

Sometimes you can get a special edition, or just go ahead and get the ordering process over with if its being shipped to you.

[Indignant]

I pre-ordered and pre-loaded DOD:S tonight.

SEX.

[MadPSIence]

I pre-ordered a frame for my mag because I wanted to have it as soon as possible.. not only that but I wanted to support the product.

[Kai]

I pre-ordered my Real Doll for...

[Hexis]

Ask the folks that have MQ-Valves in their cockers.

[TheTramp]

With paintball it's because those "modern manufacturing techniques and distribution channels" don't exist for a good portion of the interesting products. You could end up waiting a LONG time for something if you didn't get in on the pre-order.

Plus the fact that small manufacturers have gotten burned so many times that they wont spend the time and money to produce something if they don't get some capital investment in the form of Pre-orders.

Of course with all this said I think it's kind of nuts what some paintballers are willing to put up with as far a wait times after sending in their money. I can see putting a down-payment on something but not letting hundreds of dollars go for months.

[WenULiVeUdiE]

With paintball it's because those "modern manufacturing techniques and distribution channels" don't exist for a good portion of the interesting products. You could end up waiting a LONG time for something if you didn't get in on the pre-order.

And some times, it goes horribly wrong. Remember the first run of 03 Shockers?

[TheTramp]

And some times, it goes horribly wrong. Remember the first run of 03 Shockers?

Absolutly, and probably yet another reason why some of the waits are so long these days.

[PyRo]

Usually you get a discount or somthing free with a pre-order.

[matt-o]

or they might not make it until a certain number of orders are pre-filled

[atm743]

really i think its a way for the gonverment to tally how many people are spending on games and for other people to survay like how many people will be buying a xbox before they even get it to see how much $ they would make.

really i cant stand pre ordering stuff. i remeber when i used to be big into upcomeing videogames like the new metal gear solid games and gta games. really i just went to the store the day it came out or that weekend and get it and the store will have like two whole walls full of that game.

only thing i like about them is if you have some $$ at the time that you think your going to blow and not be able to save for the game you can put a big down payment on it soo when i comes out you only have to pay like 10 or 20 bucks for it then paying the 50 or 60 all at once.